Pat on the back for police

Bedfordshire Police has been rated ‘Good’ at keeping people safe and reducing crime in the latest inspection by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC).

The HMIC Legitimacy report rates forces on whether they have the consent of the public, and if those working in the force consistently behave in a way that is fair, ethical, and within the law.

To assess this, HMIC has inspected how well forces treat the people they serve; ensure their workforce acts ethically and lawfully; and treat their workforces with fairness and respect. The findings of this inspection are included in a report published today (Thursday).

T/Deputy Chief Constable Mike Colbourne said: “It is pleasing to be graded ‘Good’ at keeping people safe and reducing crime, and that our workforce treats people with fairness and respect. Protecting people is at the very core of our values at Bedfordshire Police and we put victims at the heart of everything we do.

“Our approach is to be open and transparent in every aspect of policing the county, which was recognised in a range of areas including our work with the Independent Advisory Group who review body worn video footage from stop and search, and proactively publishing any misconduct or court cases involving our officers or staff. Our continued commitment to allowing documentary makers 24 Hours in Police Custody access to the force is also testament to our willingness to be totally open and accountable to the public we serve.

“The report highlighted the good work we are doing to engage with hard-to-reach and vulnerable victims, which includes introducing specialist liaison posts. We are also committed to be more reflective of the communities we serve, our latest round of recruitment has been focused on encouraging those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds to apply to join the force.

“We have noted the recommendations in the report and are already in the process of working with Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire constabularies to implement a robust improvement plan around the tri-force Professional Standards Department and we are introducing a Culture Board, chaired by Chief Constable Jon Boutcher, in order to continue the good work being carried out internally to embed a learning culture to improve the service we provide to Bedfordshire.”